US states consider expanding access to medical cannabis to women suffering from severe menstrual cramps

Some U.S. states are studying the possibility of legalizing the use of cannabis to relieve severe menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea). With this in mind, researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University surveyed over 1,000 women across the USA to find out if they would be willing to use cannabis. 60% were already using it for various reasons, and 63% of non-users said they would be willing to use it to relieve cramps.

Untreated pain

Dysmenorrhea can be particularly painful. They manifest as cramps in the lower abdomen (due to uterine contractions), but in some women the pain can extend to the middle of the back and thighs. Their intensity varies according to the woman and her age (adolescence and the pre-menopause period being particularly painful due to major hormonal changes). In some cases, the pain can be as severe as that of a heart attack; this may conceal an infection or endometriosis - a disease that affects around 10% of women, according to Inserm.

Although increasingly recognized by doctors, these pains are often downplayed by society. Firstly, because they only affect women, and secondly, because menstruation remains a largely taboo subject. There is no specific treatment for menstrual cramps, even though they can be extremely debilitating. Most women take conventional painkillers such as Ibuprofen, despite the risks to the liver of repeated, heavy use.

Cannabis is increasingly being used in the USA to treat chronic pain, and some women are already self-medicating with cannabis to relieve cramps. Charity Johns, an obstetric gynecologist at the Peachtree Women's Clinic in Atlanta, Georgia, also conducted a survey of 89 of her patients and found that a sixth of them used cannabis to relieve their pain. Her results were presented alongside the Oragan survey at the annual conference of the American College of Gynecology.

«Patients self-medicate with cannabis and find this intervention effective. Cannabis could be a future treatment option for women with chronic pelvic pain if it is deemed safe and effective. Clinical trials need to be conducted,» says Dr. Johns.

The higher the concentration of endocannabinoids in the uterus, the more effective cannabis may be in treating this pain. Some American companies are already marketing cannabis eggs to relieve dysmenorrhea. Whoopi Golberg, an activist actress and comedian, in fact launched a line of products for women. The trend has already reached Europe, where British start-up Daye has just announced that it had raised $5.5 million to create CBD tampons.